Exhaust flow spark arrestor

ABSTRACT

A spark arrestor is provided. The spark arrestor includes a housing and an inlet tube. The inlet tube is configured to receive an exhaust flow into the housing. A first baffle is positioned within the housing. The first baffle has a curved configuration and is placed such that a convex side of the first baffle faces the exhaust flow. A second baffle is positioned within the housing. The first baffle and the second baffle are configured to separate particles from the exhaust flow. An outlet tube is present within the housing and is positioned centrally in relation to the first baffle and the second baffle. An end of the outlet tube is configured to contact a concave side of the first baffle. Further, the outlet tube includes a plurality of perforations at the end. The perforations are configured to receive air separated from the exhaust flow into the outlet tube.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an exhaust system of an engine, andmore particularly to a spark arrestor for the exhaust system.

BACKGROUND

Particulate matter may be introduced into an exhaust flow exiting anengine due to various combustion processes taking place within theengine. In some situations, combusting particles, such as carbondeposits, may build up on internal walls of the engine. These carbondeposits may mix with the exhaust flow. Presence of the carbon depositsand other combustion products in the exhaust flow may present a firerisk in application, such as, petroleum and chemical applications whereflammability is an especial concern.

The exhaust system may include devices, such as, a spark arrestor, fortreating the exhaust flowing therethrough so as to reduce theparticulate matter present in the exhaust flow. The spark arrestor maybe present at locations downstream of the engine with respect to theexhaust flow.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a spark arrestor is provided.The spark arrestor includes a housing. The spark arrestor also includesan inlet tube. The inlet tube is in fluid communication with thehousing. The inlet tube is configured to receive an exhaust flow intothe housing. The spark arrestor further includes a first baffle withinthe housing. The first baffle includes a curved configuration. Further,a convex side of the first baffle is configured to face the exhaustflow. Additionally, the spark arrestor includes a second bafflepositioned within the housing. The second baffle has a size smaller thana size of the first baffle. The first baffle and the second baffle areconfigured to separate particles from the exhaust flow. The sparkarrestor also includes an outlet tube. The outlet tube is disposed atleast partially within the housing. Further, the outlet tube ispositioned centrally in relation to the first baffle and the secondbaffle. An end of the outlet tube is configured to contact a concaveside of the first baffle. Further, the outlet tube includes a pluralityof perforations at the end. The perforations are configured to receiveair separated from the exhaust flow into the outlet tube.

Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exhaust system associated with anengine; and

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatic representations of differentconfigurations of a spark arrestor, according to various embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Wherever possible the same reference numbers will be used throughout thedrawings to refer to the same or the like parts. FIG. 1 is a blockdiagram of an exhaust system 100 associated with an engine 102,according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In theillustrated embodiment, the engine 102 is a multi-cylinder internalcombustion (IC) engine. Alternatively, the engine 102 may include acompression ignition engine, a spark ignition engine such as a naturalgas engine, a gasoline engine, or any multi-cylinder reciprocatinginternal combustion engine known in the art.

Further, the exhaust system 100 may include an aftertreatment system(not shown). The aftertreatment system may further include an exhaustgas re-circulation (EGR) system (not shown). The EGR system isconfigured to decrease a content of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in an exhaustflow from the engine 102.

The exhaust system 100 may include a muffler 104. The muffler 104 isconfigured to reduce an amount of noise emitted by the exhaust flow.Further, a spark arrestor 106 may be associated with the exhaust system100. The spark arrestor 106 is configured to reduce a content of sparksor particles 112 for e.g. carbon particles, or any other combustionproducts in the exhaust flow. As shown in the accompanying figures, thespark arrestor 106 is located downstream of the muffler 104, such thatthe exhaust flow exiting the muffler 104 may flow through the sparkarrestor 106. The spark arrestor 106 may be external to the muffler 104,for example, the spark arrestor 106 may be mounted directly to adischarge end of the muffler 104. Alternatively, in one embodiment, thespark arrestor 106 may be integrated with the muffler 104.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the spark arrestor 106, according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure. The spark arrestor 106 includes ahousing 108. The housing 108 may have a rectangular cross section.Dimensions of the housing 108 of the spark arrestor 106 may vary basedon the application. The spark arrestor 106 also includes an inlet tube110 provided at one end of the housing 108. The inlet tube 110 may havea circular cross section. Further, the inlet tube 110 is provided influid communication with the housing 108. The inlet tube 110 isconfigured to receive the exhaust flow from the muffler 104. Arrows areused in the accompanying figures to depict the exhaust flow path.

The exhaust flow entering into the spark arrestor 106 may include theparticles 112 mixed therewith that are shown as dots in the accompanyingfigures. The housing 108 of the spark arrestor 106 includes a firstbaffle 114. The first baffle 114 has a curved configuration defining aconvex side 116 and a concave side 118. The convex side 116 of the firstbaffle 114 is configured to face the exhaust flow entering through theinlet tube 110 such that the exhaust flow entering the housing 108 maycontact with the convex side 116 of the first baffle 114. Thepositioning and orientation of the first baffle 114 within the housing108 may be such that the first baffle 114 is configured to deflect ordirect the exhaust flow away from a central portion of the housing 108.

A second baffle 120 may be placed within the housing 108. The secondbaffle 120 is positioned relative to the first baffle 114. Further, asize of the second baffle 120 is smaller compared to a size of the firstbaffle 114. As shown in FIG. 2, the second baffle 120 may be providedsuch that a concave side 122 of the second baffle 120 faces the concaveside 118 of the first baffle 114. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3, thesecond baffle 120 may be placed such that a convex side 124 of thesecond baffle 120 is configured to face the concave side 118 of thefirst baffle 114.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the combination of the first and secondbaffles 114, 120 provided within the housing 108 is configured toseparate the particles 112 from the exhaust flow. As explained earlier,the first baffle 114 may be configured to direct the exhaust flow awayfrom the central portion of the housing 108, causing the exhaust flow tofollow an extended path within the spark arrestor 106. Thus, a velocityof the exhaust flow within the housing 108 may reduce, as the exhaustflow may pass over the convex side 116 of the first baffle 114. Thereduced velocity of the exhaust flow may in turn allow the particles 112to be separated out of the exhaust flow. The separated particles 112 maybe pushed towards the inner walls of the housing 108. The separatedparticles 112 may be collected in a spark collector 126. The sparkcollector 126 may be disengaged from the housing 108 for cleaningpurposes.

Further, the positioning of the first and second baffles 114, 120 issuch that air separated from the exhaust flow may be channelized ordirected to flow over the concave side 118 of the first baffle 114.Also, the second baffle 120 is placed such that the separated particles112 may be prevented from mixing with the air.

An outlet tube 128 is positioned centrally in relation to the firstbaffle 114 and the second baffle 120. Further, one end of the outlettube 128 is configured to contact with the concave side 118 of the firstbaffle 114. The outlet tube 128 may have a circular cross section. Theoutlet tube 128 includes a plurality of projections 130 provided at theend proximate to the first baffle 114. The air separated from theexhaust flow may flow into the outlet tube 128 through the perforations130. The air may further flow downstream to other components in thesystem or may be released into the atmosphere.

In an alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the housing 108 mayinclude only the first baffle 114. It should be noted that theconfigurations of the spark arrestor 106 shown in the accompanyingfigures are exemplary and do not limit the scope of the presentdisclosure. Number, dimension, positioning and orientation of thebaffles 114, 120 may vary based on the application.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure relates to the spark arrestor 106. The firstbaffle 114 and/or the second baffles 120 provided within the housing 108are configured to circulate the exhaust flow within the housing 108 suchthat the particles 112 are separated therefrom. The spark arrestor 106is configured to create a low back-pressure in the exhaust flow withinthe housing 108. The design of the spark arrestor 106 is easy tomanufacture. Application of the spark arrestor 106 may be extended toother systems, for example, generator sets.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown anddescribed with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may becontemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems andmethods without departing from the spirit and scope of what isdisclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within thescope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims andany equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A spark arrestor comprising: a housing; an inlettube in fluid communication with the housing, the inlet tube configuredto receive an exhaust flow into the housing; a first baffle positionedwithin the housing, the first baffle having a curved configuration,wherein a convex side of the first baffle is configured to face theexhaust flow; a second baffle positioned within the housing and inrelation to the first baffle, the second baffle sized smaller than thefirst baffle, wherein the first baffle and the second baffle areconfigured to separate particles from the exhaust flow; and an outlettube disposed at least partially within the housing, the outlet tubepositioned centrally in relation to the first baffle and the secondbaffle, the outlet tube having an end in contact with a concave side ofthe first baffle, wherein the outlet tube includes a plurality ofperforations at the end, the perforations configured to receive airseparated from the exhaust flow into the outlet tube.